Aston Villa manager David O'Leary blamed individual mistakes for his side's dismal recent record against Birmingham - as Thomas Sorensen's derby nightmare continued at St Andrew's.

The Villa keeper had gifted Blues the opening goal in their 2-1 victory in December and another terrible blunder yesterday resulted in the opening goal for Emile Heskey as the home side triumphed 2-0.

Then a mix-up between Martin Laursen and Olof Mellberg resulted in Julian Gray wrapping up proceedings in the closing stages.

It means Villa have still to win in six Premiership meetings with their rivals and errors by previous keeper Peter Enckelman had also played a large part in the dominance of Steve Bruce's side in this fixture.

O'Leary said: "I'm disappointed because over the last two years we have proved we are a better team than Birmingham league table-wise. But they must love playing us because we are just gifting them goals and you can't legislate for mistakes.

"I thought this was a poor game in which neither keeper had much to do that was going to fizzle out into a draw, but everything seems to be going for Birmingham in these derbies.

"We hit the inside of a post with a free-kick and it stays out and then in the second half we give a shocking first goal away and then another stupid one. We have contributed to our own downfall again.

"It is not as if Birmingham have gone and opened us up and outplayed us. We have just gifted them both of their goals."

Sorensen refused to comment after his error, and O'Leary added: "You just hope when a keeper makes a mistake that it is not punished. The ones he has made have been punished big style.

"My players are absolutely gutted in the dressing room but they have got the points and good luck to them."

Bruce was delighted with the response of his side after the disappointing 2-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion a fortnight ago.

He said: "During the last couple of weeks a lot of questions have been asked but I detected on Tuesday and Wednesday that my players were ready for this game.

"They responded to the West Brom game and I was delighted with that because in my three-and-a-half years here I have not often had to say what I did after that game."

Bruce admitted Sorensen's blunder had been a bonus to his side but he praised another fine performance from Heskey who caused problems to the Villa defence.

Bruce added: "I said before the game that in a derby it is usually individual brilliance or a mistake that decides things. Sorensen will not be happy when he sees the goal.

"But Emile has been playing so well for us. I keep saying he is the best England centre-forward of his type. People like Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are different sort of players but they would all love to play alongside Emile."

Bruce also refused to comment on the alleged clash in the tunnel between Lee Hendrie and Mario Melchiot.